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Despite almost canceling the event, Rob Ford attended the traditional city hall new year's levee where members of the public are allowed to rub shoulders with the mayor and members of council. Ford met a man who declared him "the greatest mayor Toronto has ever had" and received a panama hat from an Ecuadorian-born couple.

Toronto could be getting beer and wine in its supermarkets, or something close to it, if a new LCBO pilot project gets tested out in the city. As a counter proposal to the PC's plan to put beer in corner stores, the Liberal government has announced a scheme to put LCBO "express" counters in 10 stores on a trial basis. Customers will still have to pay a separate clerk but is this a step in the right direction for Ontario boozing?

Journalist Michael Vaughan believes it's time to join other cities that have buried (or are burying) their downtown highways. Sinking the Gardiner and adding tolls, he argues, is the only viable option for the aging and crumbling concrete el. Is this the best way of fixing the problem - is it too early for us to contemplate removing the road entirely?